Home to waters teeming with manta rays, ocean sunfish, and turtles, Nusa Penida has long been a popular dive spot for tourists and locals. It is also part of the Coral Triangle — a vast marine region spanning approximately 6 million sq km and encompassing the waters of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste — boasting the highest diversity of coral reef fishes in the world.
PROFILE
Turning the Tide
by Charmian Leong
13 Dec 2024
13 Dec 2024
With support from the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative and Mission Blue’s designation of Nusa Penida as a “Hope Spot,” this beautiful Balinese marine ecosystem holds a promising future.
Sylvia Earle, marine biologist and Rolex Testimonee, founded Mission Blue in 2008. The organisation’s mission was clear yet ambitious: To raise public awareness of ocean health’s critical importance and to drive the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) called Hope Spots. Over 160 Hope Spots have since been identified, with the Nusa Penida MPA in Bali among the latest additions.
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A SEAWEED FARMER CARRIES BASKETS OF HARVEST THROUGH THE SATYA POSANA NUSA SEAWEED CULTIVATION AREA ON NUSA LEMBONGAN, IN THE NUSA PENIDA MARINE PROTECTED AREA. -
INDONESIA IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SEAWEED PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD. SEAWEED FARMING IS PROVIDING LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE NUSA PENIDA MARINE PROTECTED AREA A SUPPLEMENTARY INCOME THAT DOES NOT HARM THE ENVIRONMENT.
The Nusa Penida MPA is home to about 570 species of reef fish and nearly 300 coral species – representing over 76 percent of all known coral species. Committed to safeguarding this precious ecosystem, marine ecologist Rili Djohani founded the non-profit Coral Triangle Center (CTC) in 2010 and collaborated with the Indonesian government and local communities to establish designated zones within the MPA for tourism, seaweed farming, fishing, and sacred grounds. The CTC’s success in promoting sustainable livelihoods for residents drew the attention of Mission Blue, leading to Nusa Penida’s designation as a Hope Spot in 2020, with Djohani and fellow conservationist Wira Sanjaya named Hope Spot Champions.
One of the CTC’s many impactful projects is the rehabilitation of the MPA’s mangrove forests, which had suffered from excessive logging. By educating the community on the benefits of preserving these forests — such as eco-tourism opportunities and protection against rising sea levels — locals rallied to support the initiative, helping to plant more than 10,000 seedlings.
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SEAWEED FARMER NI NYOMAN SERUNI HARVESTING SEAWEED AT THE SATYA POSANA NUSA CULTIVATION AREA ON NUSA LEMBONGAN, INDONESIA. -
SEAWEED FARMING IS AN INCOME SOURCE FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND INDONESIA’S COASTS, INCLUDING WITHIN THE NUSA PENIDA MARINE PROTECTED AREA. -
CORAL TRIANGLE CENTER TEAM MEMBERS TABITHA RUDANG, WIRA SANJAYA AND RILI DJOHANI PREPARING EQUIPMENT TO SURVEY THE HEALTH OF THE REEF IN THE NUSA PENIDA MARINE PROTECTED AREA. -
CORAL TRIANGLE CENTER’S CO-FOUNDER RILI DJOHANI WATCHES THE WAYANG SAMUDRA PERFORMANCE NEAR THE MANGROVE CENTER LEMBONGAN IN INDONESIA’S NUSA PENIDA MARINE PROTECTED AREA.
Nusa Penida’s reefs also show promising resilience to climate change, making their protection and study valuable for global coral conservation. To support this, the CTC has helped install over 400 interconnected structures on the ocean floor, providing a foundation for new coral growth — some 6,000 fragments covering 240 sq m.
For conservation ideals to endure across generations, they must become embedded in local culture. To this end, the CTC has engaged with youth groups and created an ocean-themed wayang (Indonesian shadow puppetry) performance, presented regularly to communities to raise awareness and inspire dialogue.
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SCHOOLS OF FISH AND ABUNDANT CORAL REEFS OFF THE COAST OF NUSA LEMBONGAN. SCUBA DIVING REVEALS THE RICH MARINE BIODIVERSITY WITHIN THE NUSA PENIDA MARINE PROTECTED AREA IN INDONESIA. -
THE NUSA PENIDA MARINE PROTECTED AREA IS HOME TO 296 SPECIES OF CORAL AND 576 SPECIES OF REEF FISH, INCLUDING ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST POPULATIONS OF MANTA RAYS.
All these efforts are supported by Mission Blue and Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Launched in 2019 as a global commitment to champion scientific and conservation efforts to protect the planet, the Initiative counts Mission Blue among its key partners. Together, they share their expertise in environmental stewardship with Djohani and Sanjaya in the mission to protect this extraordinary ecosystem.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROLEX_PIER NIRANDARA
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